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Pathological Nines don't become locked in their heads like Fives, they become locked in their bodies - they become locked in a state of physical inertia and easy-going malleability. They become so comfortable and down-to-earth that they forget to show off and make something of themselves. Serenity is a fundamentally physical state - you're adopting an easy-going, malleable, physical presence that is inviting and calm and totally not getting in your way.

Pathological Fives get so locked in a state of "preparation" that they practically forget they exist - everything has to be analysed and figured out before-hand, to the point where they forget to simply get up and do something. Detachment emerges from the mind - it's a need to separate from what's going on around you, and internalise what you're seeing, instead of participating.

There's a very real distinction between body and mind that these pathological states help to illustrate. It's a case of figuring out which side of the spectrum you lean toward when you're not in your best state.

Sorry, I meant to answer this earlier. Anyways, when you describe it as "physical inertia", I can certainly relate to that. My body just doesn't want to get out of this chair. I never really saw easy-going malleability and serenity as physical states, though. If they are, I'm probably more body-oriented than I thought.

This kind of confirms 9 for me, because I really don't see that "preparation" in me. I will purposefully avoid preparation if it's making me too anxious. Some people like to go over all the material in their heads right before they take a test. I can't do that. I refuse to think about it after the point of no return, because it's only going to make me anxious.

I've never actually been in a relationship, but I think I might do the same thing you do a little bit, though probably not to the same extent. Instead of thoroughly researching what to do in different situations of a relationship, I would probably just ask a friend what's normal in that kind of situation, if and when it comes up. The only reasons I might avoid starting a relationship would be a) I don't know if that person's right for me, and I would hate to have to reject him, or b) I don't think he's interested in me. As for the w4 part, I don't know. I guess I look forward to analyzing feelings sometimes. I can't say I usually have much to analyze.

Actually, this kind of reminds me of something my 5w4 friend in real life asked me. She asked me if I ever do "people watching", where you sit and watch people to learn about how to interact with people, what kind of clothes are popular, and social norms in general. I had never really thought of doing such a thing. I'm pretty much oblivious to what goes on around me most of the time.

The bolded part is probably the difference. I know that I can always dig out something around or within me to analyze...for fun or not. I don't even think "dig" is the right word because it's no effort at all.

Oh yeah, I do what your friend does, even while interacting with people. "So that's what people do...hmm..."

You've probably done it before, but how do you see 8 compared with 1?
Personally, I think you're more of the latter (as a wing, at least)...but yeah, try out 9w8 for now.

The bolded part is probably the difference. I know that I can always dig out something around or within me to analyze...for fun or not. I don't even think "dig" is the right word because it's no effort at all.

Oh yeah, I do what your friend does, even while interacting with people. "So that's what people do...hmm..."

You've probably done it before, but how do you see 8 compared with 1?
Personally, I think you're more of the latter (as a wing, at least)...but yeah, try out 9w8 for now.

Here's the part of 9w1 that doesn't fit me:

Under stress, nineish withdrawal increases, accompanied by oneish judgment of self and others. 9/1 retreats into a fantasy world inhabited by comfortably fuzzy generalities and stereotyped images of other people. These are the people 9/1 wishes could inhabit the real world -- wishful, perfect images of real people. Unfortunately, because 9/1 is convinced of the reality of these internally generated images, real-life interactions suffer when people do not live up to their idealized images. But the 9/1 tries very hard not to notice.

In the extreme, it becomes nearly impossible not to see the discrepancies between the perfect inner images and the outward reality. Total isolation becomes the only way to avoid seeing that the world is populated by disturbingly imperfect, unpredictable, demanding, untrustworthy beings. Life falls apart at the seams and psychotic 9/1 eventually may reach a state of catatonic pseudo-coma. Even eating and drinking can become too much work. No one is home in the body, and the body itself is allowed to fall into ruins.

The problem is, I don't have the 1-ish high standards for others. Other people are fine just the way they are. I don't try to distort my perception of people by holding an idealized image of them (at least I don't think I do ).

9w1 could fit me if by seeing other people as perfect just the way they are, and not really noticing any flaws in them, I actually am holding idealized images of people without realizing it. But I always saw it more as withholding judgment of people. I make a conscious effort not to think badly of anyone no matter what they do. It's not really that I'm distorting the person in any way, I'm just trying to keep an open mind and not be judgmental, which seems kind of opposite of w1. But maybe I'm just overthinking this.

Stressed 9/8 tends to fall into an unselfed dream state. If the dream deepens, apathy leads to sixish suspicion, while eightish defensiveness leads to fiveish paranoia. Nine's primary defense of withdrawal is enhanced by both tendencies, and 9/8 becomes a reclusive, lazy, mistrustful, hermit.

In the worst cases, the tendency to escape by going to sleep leads to total avoidance of any kind of real interaction. Bills go unpaid, the phone rings without being answered, and the lawn goes unmowed. Somnolence leads 9/8 deeper and deeper into self-negation, resulting in a paranoid sort of comatose sloth. No one is home in the body, and the body is powered down. Can there be any life at all in such a dead state?

I've never really related to 6's suspicion, and I feel like I would have to get pretty irrational for that to ever happen. Same with 5-ish paranoia. But I think I could relate to the second part. I've never been that unhealthy, but on my less healthy days I feel totally incapable of getting anything done. When I'm like that, I feel too tired to deal with anything, and my mind skips over anything painful that I don't want to think about. I become extremely sloth-like and unproductive.

How old are you? Maybe you've always been pretty healthy, and haven't been in any high stress situations.

I probably couldn't relate to the paranoia and suspicion either, until I was in a very stressful situation in my thirties. I've related to it twice in my life, both times on and off over a couple of years, due to workplace situations.

I think I've experienced that 6w5ness and I think it comes in an elusive form. Paranoia and suspicion are not the right words. Those would be the extreme characteristics of what I felt when down. Extreme internal conflict and doubt about whether to maintain certain relationships and activities would be a better way to put it.

How old are you? Maybe you've always been pretty healthy, and haven't been in any high stress situations.

I probably couldn't relate to the paranoia and suspicion either, until I was in a very stressful situation in my thirties. I've related to it twice in my life, both times on and off over a couple of years, due to workplace situations.

I'm 18. To be honest, I don't think I've ever actually been in the healthy range, just average. High school was stressful enough, since I took really hard classes and probably averaged 4 hours of homework per night (and had plenty of occasions of 5-7 hours per night for weeks at a time). But I'm not sure that's the kind of stress that causes suspicion and paranoia. :P

I'm 18. To be honest, I don't think I've ever actually been in the healthy range, just average. High school was stressful enough, since I took really hard classes and probably averaged 4 hours of homework per night (and had plenty of occasions of 5-7 hours per night for weeks at a time). But I'm not sure that's the kind of stress that causes suspicion and paranoia. :P

Yeah. I think it's hard to tell when you're that young. You might get a better idea later on. In the meantime, just be yourself and don't stress about it.